Composite jacket and sleeping bag apparatus

ABSTRACT

A composite jacket and sleeping bag apparatus for selective use as a jacket and a sleeping bag. The composite jacket and sleeping bag apparatus comprises a base jacket having an attached expandable hood and an inflatable air mattress pack. The base jacket is converted from a jacket configuration to a sleeping bag configuration by unzipping and opening it, unfolding both a fold out leg extension and a fold out top cover, and then connecting the sides of the fold out top cover to the sides of the opened base jacket and fold out leg extension, thereby forming a substantial enclosure in which a user can rest. In this configuration, the inflatable air mattress pack can be deployed to provide addition support to a user laying on the opened base jacket and fold out leg extension.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to apparel and, more particularly, to awearable jacket with the ability to convert into a sleeping bag havingan inflatable mattress.

2. Description of the Prior Art

The use and design of sleeping bags and inflatable mattresses for usefor sleeping or laying down is well known. Hikers and travelers oftentransport with them large sleeping bags so that they are able to restcomfortably when desired. A problem which still exists, however, is thatfor many hikers and travelers, a discrete sleeping bag and/or inflatablemattresses can be very cumbersome to carry. Thus, there remains a needfor a composite jacket and sleeping bag apparatus that provides awearable garment that can alternatively be deployed as a sleeping bag.It would be helpful if such a composite jacket and sleeping bagapparatus included an integrated inflatable mattress to for providingadditional support when a user lays in the sleeping bag. It would beadditionally desirable for such a composite jacket and sleeping bagapparatus to employ a plurality of zippers to enable it to be placed injacket or sleeping bag form.

The Applicant's invention described herein provides for a compositejacket and sleeping bag apparatus adapted to be converted between awearable jacket and a sleeping bag. The primary components inApplicant's composite jacket and sleeping bag apparatus are a basejacket, a fold out leg extension, a fold out top cover, an expandablehood, and an inflatable air mattress. When in operation, the compositejacket and sleeping bag apparatus enables a mobile user, such as ahiker, to have access to a comfortable sleeping enclosure without havingto separately carry a sleeping bag and/or inflatable mattress. As aresult, many of the limitations imposed by prior art structures areremoved.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A composite jacket and sleeping bag apparatus for selective use as ajacket and a sleeping bag. The composite jacket and sleeping bagapparatus comprises a base jacket having an attached expandable hood andan inflatable air mattress pack. The base jacket is converted from ajacket configuration to a sleeping bag configuration by unzipping andopening it, unfolding both a fold out leg extension and a fold out topcover, and then connecting the sides of the fold out top cover to thesides of the opened base jacket and fold out leg extension, therebyforming a substantial enclosure in which a user can rest. In thisconfiguration, the inflatable air mattress pack can be deployed toprovide addition support to a user laying on the opened base jacket andfold out leg extension.

It is an object of this invention to provide a composite jacket andsleeping bag apparatus that provides a wearable garment that canalternatively be deployed as a sleeping bag.

It is another object of this invention to provide a composite jacket andsleeping bag apparatus that includes an integrated inflatable mattressto for providing additional support when a user lays in the sleepingbag.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a composite jacketand sleeping bag apparatus that employs a plurality of zippers to enableit to be placed in jacket or sleeping bag form.

These and other objects will be apparent to one of skill in the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a composite jacket and sleepingbag apparatus built in accordance with the present invention in a jacketconfiguration.

FIG. 2 is a back elevational view of a composite jacket and sleeping bagapparatus built in accordance with the present invention in a jacketconfiguration.

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of a composite jacket and sleepingbag apparatus built in accordance with the present invention in apartially assembled sleeping bag configuration.

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of a composite jacket and sleeping bagapparatus built in accordance with the present invention in an assembledsleeping bag configuration.

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of a composite jacket and sleepingbag apparatus built in accordance with the present invention in analternate assembled sleeping back configuration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings and in particular FIGS. 1 and 2, acomposite jacket and sleeping bag apparatus 100 is shown in a jacketconfiguration as a base jacket 110 having an attached expandable hood120 and an inflatable air mattress pack 130. The base jacket 110 isconstructed in a similar manner to conventional jackets and outwear,having a pair of sleeves 111, a collar section 112, and a central zipper113 regulated closeable opening. The expandable hood 120 is attached tothe base jacket 110 at the collar section 112, from where it can beflipped onto the head of a user in a manner similar to conventionalhoods on jackets. The inflatable air mattress pack 130 is attached tothe back surface of the base jacket 110, and includes an integrated airpump (not shown) that enables it to be selectively inflated fordeployment as an air mattress.

Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 4, the composite jacket and sleepingbag apparatus 100 is converted from a jacket configuration to a sleepingbag configuration by opening the base jacket 110, unfolding both a foldout leg extension 140 and a fold out top cover 150, and then, if it isdesired to create a substantial enclosure, connecting the sides of thefold out top cover 150 to the sides of the opened base jacket 110 andfold out leg extension 140. The base jacket 100 is opened asconventional jackets; by unzipping the central zipper 113 and spreadingthe opened sides apart. Once the base jacket 100 is open, the legextension 140 can be unzipped at the top zipper 114 inside the basejacket 110 and connected to the leg extension 114′ and folded down fromthe base jacket 110, pivoting just above the bottom of the base jacket110. The top cover 150 is then folded out of the leg extension 140 intwo contiguous sections. The fully unfolded leg extension 140 and thetop cover 150 define the partially assembled sleeping bag configurationof the composite jacket and sleeping bag apparatus 100, illustrated inFIG. 3.

The leg extension 140 and the top cover 150 each include side flaps,defined as leg extension flaps 141 and top cover flaps 151,respectively. At the edge of each of the leg extension flaps 141 and isa first enclosure zipper 142 and at the edge of each of the top coverflaps 151 is a second enclosure zipper 152. To complete the assembly ofthe composite jacket and sleeping bag apparatus 100, the top cover 150is flipped on top of the leg extension 140 and the opened base jacket110 and the second enclosure zipper 152 is secured to the firstenclosure zipper 142 and central zipper 113, thereby forming asubstantial enclosure which defines the sleeping bag configuration. Itis contemplated that the opened base jacket 110 and the leg extension140 will provide the bottom surface for a user to lay on and the topcover 150 will provide a cover which can be used by a user on the openedbase jacket 110 and the leg extension 140. If a user desires to create afull enclosure, a bottom zipper 153 can be then attached to the topzipper 114.

Once in the partially assembled sleeping bag configuration or thesleeping bag configuration, the inflatable air mattress pack 130 can bedeployed into an inflated air mattress 131 to provide greater supportfor a user laying inside the composite jacket and sleeping bag apparatus100. In the partially assembled sleeping bag configuration or thesleeping bag configuration, it is contemplated that the sleeves 111could be laid under the opened base jacket 110 or rolled up under thecollar section 112 for use to elevate a user's head.

In one embodiment, the expandable hood 120 includes a collapsible clothpiece (not shown) that can be folded out and used to cover the face of auser.

In one embodiment, the collar section 112 and/or the sleeves 111 aredetachable from the base jacket 110.

Referring now to FIG. 5, in an alternate embodiment, the base jacket110, when placed in a sleeping bag configuration, returned to a closedposition (similar to what is illustrated in FIG. 1, except with the legextension 140 and top cover 150 folded out and the top cover 150 zippedon top of the leg extension 140). When assembled in this manner, theclosed base jacket 110 provides a second enclosure for the torso area ofa user inside the sleeping bag, thereby providing additional comfort tothe user.

The instant invention has been shown and described herein in what isconsidered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment. It isrecognized, however, that departures may be made therefrom within thescope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to aperson skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:
 1. A composite jacket and sleeping bag apparatus,comprising: a base jacket adapted to be placed in a closed position andan open position; a leg extension section embedded in said base jacket,wherein said leg extension section is configured to fold down from thebase jacket when in the open position; a top cover section connected tosaid leg extension section, wherein said top cover section is configuredto fold down from the leg extension section once the leg extensionsection has been folded down from the base jacket; and said top coversection adapted to be positioned on top of the opened base jacket andleg extension section.
 2. The composite jacket and sleeping bagapparatus of claim 1, wherein said base jacket includes an inflatableair mattress pack that can be deployed into an inflated air mattresspositioned adjacent to the opened base jacket and leg extension section.3. The composite jacket and sleeping bag apparatus of claim 1, whereinsaid base jacket includes an expandable hood.
 4. The composite jacketand sleeping bag apparatus of claim 1, wherein the top cover section isconfigured to fold down in two sections.
 5. The composite jacket andsleeping bag apparatus of claim 1, wherein said base jacket includes apair of sleeves.
 6. The composite jacket and sleeping bag apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein said base jacket includes a collar section.
 7. Thecomposite jacket and sleeping bag apparatus of claim 1, wherein saidbase jacket is adapted to be placed in a closed position and an openposition through a central zipper regulated closeable opening.
 8. Thecomposite jacket and sleeping bag apparatus of claim 7, wherein the topcover section is configured to selectively create a substantialenclosure with the opened base jacket and leg extension section throughthe connection of a second enclosure zipper on both side ends of the topcover section to the opened central zipper on both side ends of theopened base jacket and a first enclosure zipper on both side ends of theleg extension section.
 9. The composite jacket and sleeping bagapparatus of claim 8, wherein the top cover section includes a bottomzipper, thereby additionally configuring it to selectively create a fullenclosure.
 10. The composite jacket and sleeping bag apparatus of claim7, wherein said leg extension section is configured to fold down fromthe base jacket by unzipping a top zipper inside the base jacket andflipping the leg extension section down from the base jacket, pivotingjust above the bottom of the base jacket.